Aviation: Airport Ownership

Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have made an assessment of the ownership of the major London airports by BAA in terms of a potential monopoly.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government last considered British Airports Authority's (BAA) ownership in the context of the Government's review of airport competition announced by the Chancellor in the March 1999 Budget. Since the Enterprise Act 2002, any competition issues that might arise from ownership of BAA's London airports are a matter for the Office of Fair Trading.

Bhutan: Refugees

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are providing assistance to the 106,000 Bhutanese refugees currently in seven camps in south-eastern Nepal; what prospects there are of repatriation or resettlement; and what representations they are making to the government of Bhutan.

Baroness Amos: DfID does not provide direct funding for Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. However, DfID contributes £17 million of unallocated support for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has an operational budget of approximately $3.1 million for Bhutanese refugees this year. DfID also contributes through our support for the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). In 2006, 18 per cent. of ECHO's budget of €2 million for Bhutanese refugees will come from DfID.
	The assessment of our embassy in Nepal is that prospects for repatriation are currently poor. Despite the fact that the Bhutanese Government recognise that some of the refugees are bona fide Bhutanese, there has been no progress on the issue since an incident when missiles were thrown at Bhutanese officials visiting a camp in December 2003.
	The UK fully supports the UNHCR's position on the issue; that is, that there should be negotiations between the Nepalese and Bhutanese Governments leading to a repatriation for the majority of refugees. Bhutan is covered from the High Commission in New Delhi. The last formal representations to the Bhutanese on the refugee issue were made to the King and Foreign Minister during the High Commissioner's visit to Bhutan in May 2005.

Child Support Agency

Lord Lea of Crondall: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the expected cost of the Child Support Agency in 2005–06.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In a Statement I made to the House of Lords on 9 February I referred to the agency budget as £400 million. That is an approximate figure and relates to expenditure for which Stephen Geraghty, the agency chief executive, is accountable, and excludes the expenditure incurred by the department on behalf of the agency and later allocated to the agency's accounts.
	A change in accounting policy proposed by the Department for Work and Pensions and confirmed by National Audit Office will lead to a restatement of 2004–05 expenditure reported in the agency's annual accounts. This reflects the incorporation of costs associated with the modernisation programme in the accounts of individual agencies rather than charging such costs directly to the central departmental resource account. It is expected that the restated 2004–05 figure will increase expenditure to around £425 million.
	The agency accounts for 2005–06 will be presented on the same basis and are estimated as £403 million. This figure excludes expenditure incurred by the department on behalf of its constituent agencies. These costs are apportioned to each agency in line with standard accounting practice at the end of each financial year. Last year's recharges were £58 million; figures for 2005–06 are not yet available. The overall costs of the agency will be confirmed when the audited agency accounts are published in July 2006.

Firearms: Reloading Ammunition Presses

Baroness Golding: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	To which United Kingdom authority purchasers of reloading ammunition presses and dies will be required to show their firearms certificate in respect of internet purchases from overseas under the proposals in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill; and
	What assessment has been made of the risk of loss of firearm certificates sent in the post to suppliers by purchasers of reloading ammunition presses and dies; and
	What discussions have been held in HM Revenue and Customs regarding the proposed requirement in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill for purchasers of reloading ammunition presses and dies from overseas sources to present their original firearm certificates to the supplier.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Under the provisions of Clause 31, which have been discussed with HM Revenue and Customs, the restrictions will apply to both the seller and the purchaser. The law can be enforced in respect of the seller only where he is resident in this country. The offence of purchase is cast in terms of failure to hold a certificate and not failure to produce. A person who buys presses or dies from an overseas source and does not fall into the categories listed in Clause 31(5)(a) to (g) will be liable to prosecution. We think the risk of certificates being lost in the post is small and that it is appropriate to align the provisions in the Bill with current firearms legislation which is predicated on the actual production of certificates because of the possible misuse of photocopies.

Nepal: Financial Aid

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much aid they are giving to development projects in Nepal in the current financial year; by how much this budget has been cut owing to the Maoist insurgency; and whether they will divert these resources into new projects.

Baroness Amos: Following a policy review on 2005, the DfID bilateral aid allocation for Nepal in 2005–06 was reduced from £40 million. In 2006–07, DfID plans to disburse £30 million. These reduced allocations reflect the inability of the government of Nepal to make a strong case for higher levels of development assistance in the current conditions of political instability and conflict.
	The 2005 policy review also led to some reprioritisation of the programme and to the allocation of resources for support to democratic institutions, to help ensure that a return to multi-party democracy is sustained.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which police authorities have expressed concerns about the proposed merger of the four Welsh police forces into one strategic force.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: All four police authorities in Wales recognise that the option of a single strategic force for Wales is operationally viable, although they share some concerns. The Home Office is working closely with both the police authorities and forces in Wales to resolve these concerns satisfactorily.

Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether guidelines are being produced in relation to the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006; and, if so, what is the consultation process for preparing the guidelines.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Home Office will produce guidance on the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 to accompany the Act when it comes into force. The guidance will be discussed with religion and belief groups, criminal justice agencies and representatives from the arts before it is issued. An initial meeting with representatives from religion and belief organisations took place on 6 April and an initial meeting with arts organisations is planned for 18 April. The Crown Prosecution Service will issue guidance on the Act to prosecutors in due course.